Frog and switch track work



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5 Sheets-Sheet l o o J o o o o .7. I@/ -m. oon o@o oo 0 o SWW m m m H 4 K b V s K ML F c E III! E i T K or M M hm E E n Q 2 R W MM Q 7 S g p Feb; 1 6- D. P. STEWARD El AL FROG AND SWITCH. TRACK WORK Filed April 4, 1935 Feb. 11, 1936. D. P. STEWARD El AL FROG AND SWITCH TRACK WORK Filed April 4, 1935 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 R E T kw \Q 7 4% W% 5 5 R Y w 3 M n R WEWM x a N a R A g m mm R q A Q Q A l Th 1 I Q. mm M nu V a m\ h A n M mm Q w u Q R D Patented Feb. 11, 1936 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE FROG AND SWITCH TRACK WORK sylvania Application April 4,. 1933, Serial No. 664,412

3 Claims.

Our invention relates to track construction and more particularly to the construction of frogs and switches.

Objects of the invention are to provide improved rail fastening means for general and for special work; more specifically to provide a switch point rail of strong unitary construction and of a construction to fit standard rails, to provide a rail brace in which the downward and lateral holding stresses are transmitted through the brace and to provide plate structures that may be readily adapted and adjusted to special work and special conditions of use.

. Various features of the invention are illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which- Fig. .1 is a plan view of a section of track and switch point embodying our invention;

Fig. 2 is a side elevation and Fig. 3 is a horizontal section of a switch point embodying the preferred form of the invention;

Fig. 4 is a plan and Fig. 5 a vertical cross section of a rail and fastening means embodying our invention;

Fig. 6 is a vertical section taken on line 6-6 of Fig. 5;

Fig. 7 is a perspective view of the rail fastening means;

Figs. 8, 9, l0 and 11 are vertical cross sections through the rail and switch point taken on lines 8-8, 9-9, l0-I0 and ll-l I, respectively, of Fig. 1.

Referring more particularly to Figs. 1, 2, 3 and 8 to 11, the invention is illustrated as applied to a pair of rails 2| and 22, mounted on plates 23 on suitable ties, not shown, and having between the rails 21 and 22 a pair of switch points 24 and 25 slidable on the plates 23 so that :the point 25 joins the rail 22, or when moved .in the opposite direction so that the point 24 joins the rail 2|. The plates 23 are provided with fastening. means, which hold the rails 2i and 225. rigidly in place, but which permit the switch points 24 and 25 to swing about the heel ends 26 and 21 of the points. The heel ends 26 and 21 of the points 24 and 25 coincide with the ends of rails 28 and 29 and are held in a pivoted connection therewith.

To enable the switch points 25 and 26 to slide toward and from their respective rails 2| and 22, plates 23 are provided which have a lower surface on which the rail 22 is supported and an undercut recess 30, in which a flange 3| of the rail may be inserted and secured against side thrusts and overturning stresses. Above and extending over the recess 30, the plate is formed with an upper sliding surface 32, on which the rail point 25 may slide in its movement to and from the rail 22. Inasmuch as the outer surface of the point 25 joins the outer surface of the rail 22, the point 25 is tapered at the point end, so that its inner surface lies substantially tangent tothe inner surface of the rail 22. From this point, the switch point widens out to a full rail width and when it is sufliciently spaced from the rail 25, its height is increased to that of the rail 22.

As shown in Fig. 8, the point 25 is machined until nothing remains of the head except a sharply pointed ridge 33, one face of which abuts the inner surface of the head of the rail 22, which is machined away as at 34, so that the inner faces 15 of the point and rail head merge. At this point in the switch, one flange of the switch point is machined away, leaving the other flange 35. It will be noted moreover that the vertical web 36 in the switch point is much thicker than the web 31 of the rail. As the switch point diverges from the rail 22, its head is thickened to approximately normal thickness, as shown in Fig. 9, except for that part that contacts with the head of the, rail 22. A part of the flange 38 is also left on the point 25, room being provided for this flange by the gradual separation of the rails. At this point in the switch, the top surface 39 of the head of the point 36 is slightly above the surface of the rail 22. As the point diverges still further from the rail to the section line Ill-I0, the point 25 assumes a symmetrical cross section relative to its vertical axis, having the full width of both flanges, one flange, however, somewhat overlapping the adjacent flange 3l of the rail 22. In this section of the rail and point, the surface 32 of the plate 23 is somewhat lower and the recess 30 is omitted. At the section line H, as shown in Fig. 11, the switch point 25 is spaced sufficiently from the rail 22, so that the flanges of both rails are not in overlapping position and may, therefore, be on the same supporting surface 40 of the plate 23, the web 36 of the point being thinned and extended vertically to give the point at the heel end the same height as the rail 22 and as the rail 29 to which it is to be joined.

The point 25 may be formed from rolled stock, such as is commonly used for crane rails, which are of less height and of greater web thickness than the standard rails. These heavier crane rails may be machined at the point end to cut away a part of the head and a part of one flange, as shown in Figs. 8 and 9, the rail being gradually tapered in this manner to the pointed end. At the heel end, the web 36 is thinned and extended 55 vertically by forging and pressing until its cross section conforms to that of a standard T rail. In this manner, a switch point may be easily formed from rolled stock and the use of a compromise joint between the point and the rail to which it is joined is avoided. A more durable rail may thus be formed. Throughout the tapering part of the switch point, the web thickness 36 may be maintained, as shown in Figs. 8 and 9 and in Fig. 3, thereby providing a maximum support at this point.

In mounting the rail and switch point, the plates 23 are provided with the recess 30 at the point end of the switch point and for a considerable distance back from the point. Throughout this length of the track, the rail 22 is rigidly mounted on plates 23 by having the flange 3| wedged into the recess 30, which supports it against movement inwardly of the track or from an outward turning or twisting thrust on the head of the rail. The outer flange 4| is secured tightly upon the supporting surface of the plates 23 by fastening brace 42. At the point where the switch point 25 joins the rail 29 and the latter is sufliciently separated from the rail 22, the inner edge or inner flange of the rail 22 is fastened by a fastening means 43, fastening the adjacent flanges of the rails 22 and 29, the opposite side of the rail 29 being secured by a brace 44 similar to the brace 42.

The brace 42 is preferably formed with a vertical plate 45, as shown in Figs. 5 and 7 and having an upper edge 46 with wedges against the undersurface of the head of the rail and a lower edge 41 which wedges against the upper surface of the rail flange 4|, the under surface of the rail head and the upper surface of the flange 4| being tapered to give the proper wedging action to secure the rail. Extending downwardly and outwardly from each end of the vertical plate 45 are supporting extensions or plates 48 and 49 and between the extensions 48 and 49 there is formed a horizontal flange 50 extending from the lower edge of the vertical plate 45. At the outer ends of the extensions 48 and 49, there is a transverse base span or plate 5|, the lower surface of which rests on the supporting plate 23. The opposed faces of the base 5| and of the flange 50 are tapered downwardly. In the space between these downwardly tapered surfaces an upwardly extending rib 52 is formed on the upper surface of the plate 23 and is provided with a transverse undercut recess 53, so shaped as to receive the head 54 of a bolt 55, the shank of which extends upwardly through the opening between the base 5| and flange 50. A wedge 56 is fitted or threaded on the shank 55 of the bolt and is forced downwardly between the tapering surfaces of the flange 50 and base 5| by means of a nut 51 acting through a spring washer 58. The nut 51 and wedge 56 serve to force the brace downwardly against the surface of the plate 23 and the upper surface of the flange 4| of the rail 22. The brace is forced sidewise against the rail 22 by means of a wedge 59 between the downwardly tapered outer face 60 of the base 5| and an oppositely inclined base 6| of a rib 62 slightly spaced therefrom.

Wedge 59 is forced downwardly by means of a nut 63 threaded on a bolt 64, the head of which is engaged in an undercut recess in a rib 65 on the upper surface of the plate 23. As the wedge 59 is forced downwardly, it forces the spanning base 5| of the base away from the rib 62 and tightly against the rail 22.

Various modifications may be made by those skilled in the art without departure from the invention as defined in the appended claims.

What we claim is:-

1. A switch point rail formed from rolled rail stock originally of uniform cross sectional area throughout its length and comprising a head, a

web and a base flange and having a point end and a pivotal heel portion at the opposite end at which said rail swings, the rail having a uniform vertical dimension and uniform thickness of web from said point end to said heel portion and having its web stamped and thus thinned and widened at said heel portion only to increase the vertical dimension of said rail at said heel portion thereby to lower the supporting surface at said heel portion.

2. A switch point rail formed from rolled rail stock originally of uniform cross sectional area throughout its length and comprising a head, a. web and a base flange and having a point end and a short pivotal heel portion at the opposite end at which said rail swings, the rail having a uniform vertical dimension and uniform thickness of web from said point end to said heel portion and having its web stamped and thus thinned and widened at said heel portion only to increase the vertical dimension of said rail at said heel portion thereby to lower the supporting surface at said heel portion, one flange of said rail being machined away progressively toward the point end of said rail.

3. A rail and switch point supporting and pivoting assembly, which comprises a main rail, a point rail having a short heel portion at the butt end thereof, a supporting plate for said main rail and for said heel portion at the pivotal end of said point rail, said point rail being formed from rolled rail stock originally of uniform cross sectional area throughout its length and comprising a head, web and base flanges, the web being of greater thickness and less height than said main rail and the head being machined away progressively toward the point end to form a tapering point and said web being stamped to thin and spread it at said heel portion only to increase the height of said point rail to equal that of said main rail.

DOUGLAS P. STEWARD. JOHN V. STEWART. 

